Austin MotoGP: Lorenzo equals Rainey - Schwantz in Texas?

Jorge Lorenzo's victory in the season-opening Qatar MotoGP was his 24th in the premier-class, putting him equal with another Yamaha hero - triple world champion Wayne Rainey.

A further Lorenzo victory would put the young Spaniard alongside 1993 world champion Kevin Schwantz, Rainey's great rival, and joint seventh on the win list.

That could happen this Sunday, during MotoGP's inaugural race in Schwantz's home state of Texas...

Unfortunately the ongoing legal action between Schwantz and COTA means, should Lorenzo take victory, a special post-race celebration involving Schwantz is highly unlikely.

When Valentino Rossi matched the win record of Angel Nieto, at Le Mans in 2008, the '12+1' world champion memorably took over Rossi's bike for the slow down lap.

Meanwhile Lorenzo's next rostrum will make him just the eighth rider to reach the milestone of 100 podiums in motorcycle grand prix. Rossi, Lorenzo's team-mate, heads the record books for both all-time 500cc/MotoGP wins and podiums in all grand prix classes (178).